Stranger Things 5 unexpectedly writes out beloved character in first two episodes without explanation
The moment we’ve all been waiting for is upon us: Stranger Things is back. The show has returned to Netflix to commence its fifth and final season, and it goes without saying that its unbelievably large fanbase is ready for more adventures. And, from the looks of it, we’re in for its biggest adventure yet.
Set in the aftermath of Vecna’s Curse coming to fruition, Hawkins is now essentially a military base of operations, overrun with soldiers and officials investigating why a large interdimensional tear has appeared in the very fabric of the town. But, as we’ve come to learn from this show, it will likely be the kids at the center of it all who ultimately figure it all out.
That said, there is one character that you won’t see in Volume 1 for a significant period of time.
Erica doesn’t appear in Stranger Things season 5 part 1 until episode 3
If you’re watching Stranger Things season 5 in the hopes of seeing some epic one-liners from the one-liner queen that is Erica Sinclair, you might be disappointed to learn that you’ll be waiting for a while. The fan-favorite character is mysteriously absent for the first two episodes of the final season without any significant explanation given as to why. She’s just not there as the story places its focus on other areas.
We get it: Stranger Things has a large cast, which has grown significantly over the seasons. Heck, Priah Ferguson’s Erica was one of those additions when she joined the show in season 3. With such a larger-than-life story to tackle in the final season, it’s understandable that not all of the cast members appear right away. And yet, it’s understandable that fans of the beloved character might feel a little short-changed that such a recognizable, fun part of the series is absent for a significant portion of time throughout the final season’s early moments – especially as that is ultimately half of Part 1.
If you’d like to learn how Erica gets involved in the season, read on. But know this, there are SPOILERS ahead!
STRANGER THINGS: SEASON 5. Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair as Character in Stranger Things: Season 5. Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2025
She does ultimately appear when Mike and Nancy recruit her to help with their plan to save Hawkins from Vecna and, as expected, she’s as sassy and lovable as ever, delivering some of the absolute best lines of the season in just one scene. You can’t argue with that!
Lucas’ sister, Erica has become a staple of Stranger Things, offering up some of the show’s most memorable moments since its third season. As season 3 was arguably the show’s most social media-aware season – a.k.a. the most memeable season – it’s not surprising that many of Erica’s legendary lines are associated with that particular outing. And honestly, when you’re dealing with stakes as high as this show’s, it’s understandable that audiences appreciate the light-hearted nature of Erica’s scenes. It also helps that she’s become a force-to-be-reckoned with, getting the job done every time that she is brought in to help.
She is given ample opportunity to do that again in the final season’s first half when she appears in its back two episodes. We just hope that season 5 part 2 offers up much more content for her after those initial episodes overlooked the character a little.
Stranger Things season 5 part 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
